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In Touch - Feb. 4, 2009

Numerous people believe in God, attend church, and are convinced that they will someday go to heaven. But of these, far too many are misinformed about salvation.

Some believe that a person’s eternal destiny depends solely on how much good he accomplishes in his lifetime. Others accept that Jesus died for us but think we have to contribute toward salvation through works. Both views are incorrect. Scripture clearly teaches that we are saved only through a personal faith in Christ (Eph. 2:8-9). What He did—namely, living a perfect life and dying for our sins—is what makes us right with God. When we receive Jesus as our Savior, His completed work is credited to our account. Our sin-debt is paid by His blood, and His righteousness is applied to us. Remember, we are saved not by what we do but by whom we trust—we can’t add to or take away from Christ’s finished work on the cross (John 19:30; Acts 4:12).

There is another common area of misinformation: many are convinced that belonging to a church, reading the Bible, and praying are evidences of being a Christian. These are important, but they’re not what establishes us as God’s children. We are adopted into His family when we acknowledge the insufficiency of our own efforts and embrace what Christ did for us. At that moment, we are set apart for the Lord and belong to Him.

It is essential that our faith be grounded in biblical truth. Receiving forgiveness of our sins, belonging to God’s family, and dwelling with Him forever depend on it. Do your beliefs agree with Scripture?

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